What steps should be followed when administering oral medication?

What steps should be followed when administering oral medication?

• A. Prepare the medication and document later
• B. Verify the five rights, prepare the medication, ensure the student swallows it, and document administration
• C. Administer the medication and inform the parents
• D. Check the expiration date and give it to the student

Answer: (B)

The correct answer encompasses a comprehensive set of steps that are critical to safely administering oral medication. First and foremost, verifying the five rights—right patient, right medication, right dose, right route, and right time—is paramount to ensure patient safety and medication efficacy. This verification process is essential to prevent errors that can lead to serious health issues. Following this verification, preparing the medication properly is crucial, as it ensures the correct dosage is administered in a safe manner. It's important to handle the medication according to established protocols, which may include checking the label and preparing the medication in a clean environment. Ensuring the student swallows the medication is another vital step. This may involve monitoring the student during and after the administration to confirm that the medication has been successfully ingested. Finally, documenting the administration right after it takes place is essential for maintaining accurate medical records. This documentation should include the time of administration, the dose given, and any observations made during the process. Accurate record-keeping helps with ongoing care and informs other healthcare providers about the student's medication history. In contrast, options that suggest preparation without documentation or that omit verification steps do not sufficiently safeguard the student’s health and safety, thus highlighting the importance of a comprehensive approach as outlined in the correct

The correct answer encompasses a comprehensive set of steps that are critical to safely administering oral medication. First and foremost, verifying the five rights—right patient, right medication, right dose, right route, and right time—is paramount to ensure patient safety and medication efficacy. This verification process is essential to prevent errors that can lead to serious health issues.

Following this verification, preparing the medication properly is crucial, as it ensures the correct dosage is administered in a safe manner. It's important to handle the medication according to established protocols, which may include checking the label and preparing the medication in a clean environment.

Ensuring the student swallows the medication is another vital step. This may involve monitoring the student during and after the administration to confirm that the medication has been successfully ingested.

Finally, documenting the administration right after it takes place is essential for maintaining accurate medical records. This documentation should include the time of administration, the dose given, and any observations made during the process. Accurate record-keeping helps with ongoing care and informs other healthcare providers about the student's medication history.

In contrast, options that suggest preparation without documentation or that omit verification steps do not sufficiently safeguard the student’s health and safety, thus highlighting the importance of a comprehensive approach as outlined in the correct